Clariant’s oil, mining unit breaks ground on global HQ in the US

07 September 2012 15:42[Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS)--Clariant broke ground on a new global headquarters for its oil and mining services business unit in The Woodlands, north of ?xml:namespace>Houston, this week, the Switzerland-based specialty chemicals major said on Friday.

Clariant expects the work – which includes two 32,000-square-feet, two-story buildings – to be completed by autumn 2013, it said.

The buildings will house the global business unit and North American operations, a global and regional oil services technical centre, a regional mining technical centre, and an employee training facility, the company added.

The investment will allow Clariant to double its workforce in The Woodlands by 2015, it said. It did not disclose how much it will invest or how many workers it currently employs in The Woodlands.

Chris Oversby, vice president and general manager of Clariant’s oil and mining services, said that The Woodlands has become a major hub for companies in the oil and gas industry.

Earlier this year, Clariant CEO Hariolf Kottmann said the company's oil and mining business expects to benefit from the US shale gas boom.